pop up sew & tell v1.1: i have actually been sewing

I've decided I'm going to sew & tell in a pop quiz sort of way!  If I blog on a Friday, I'll put up a linky so you can share some of your finishes too!

I actually have gotten a lot of projects completed in the last several months.  For some reason or another I just haven't been motivated to blog about them.  In all honesty, Instagram has replaced blogging for me quite a bit.  It's so easy and fast to snap a picture of a WIP, get a quick opinion on fabric choices, or just a quick sew and tell share!

I do like the format of blogging and the friendships I have here.  I'm going to make a more concerted effort to get blog posts up.  They might be short, but hopefully they'll be interesting!

I wanted to share a dress I made for sisterlouwho.  I finished it back in November, but it's been a little busy around here the last few months!

I bought this fabric (A 3 Sisters print by Moda) over 4 years ago mostly because it was on sale.  It's pretty - I love a classic Jacobean Paisley floral, but it's not really my normal color palette.  I had initially intended it for a bag - but then it just sat unused in my closet.  I had the inspiration to use it for a dress a couple of months ago!

I've used a similar pattern to make her some dresses when she was more toddler sized, and was happy to find a girl's sized pattern that was similar.  But of course I had to tweak it.  Partly because I didn't have the right amounts of fabric and partly because I like to complicate things all the time. :)

I lengthened the middle panel to make the bottom more of a ruffle and less of a skirt.  If that makes any sense at all.  I also lengthened the sleeves and used elastic thread for the shirring instead of a casing and elastic.  I like how it creates a little ruffle.

Of course it has to pass the twirl-a-bility test.  I think it did!

I'm really happy with it and so is she!  I will be making more of these soon.  So easy and fast!

Have you been sewing anything fun lately?  I would love to see!

Linky Rules.  Please follow along for a fun party!

1. Please be courteous when linking up.  This is a forum for sharing, motivating and making friends - not self promotion :0) (i.e. Tutorials or links to shops/sales/etc.)

2. One linky per person.

3. Link to your specific post.  (See here for permalink instructions - or email me.)

4. Link back here with a link or a button (HTML on my sidebar).

5. Be sure to visit and leave comments on other's posts!

Please put your (blog)name instead of your project name, it helps us get to know each other better!

Instagram round up from yesterday

I've been documenting on Instagram what I've been doing since I'm #notgoingtosewingsummit ! I thought I'd share here in the virtual sewing room! It's super fun to check out the #sewingsummit feed too! There is so much fun going on over there!!

I love seeing what all of you are working on this weekend! Keep linking up! I've put the same linky at the end of this post too, so you only have to link up on one post, it will just carry thought the weekend!
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Instaclass of the weekend.  If you are working with something slippery or stretchy, pin the heck out of it!

baby blanket for a soon to be niece!

botched hem job getting fixed

And here is the finished hem.  It looks way better than when I got it.  The mom was happy too.

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My quilt partner is crime came over to sew and she worked on some snowballs...

 

And I spray basted this quilt (that she pieced).  Quilting to happen shortly.

Keep calm, and sew on! (and get a drink!)

And party on!!

the (virtual) sewing room is now open!! {linky party}

Welcome to the #notgoingtosewingsummit pity party!  I kid, I kid! Not a pity party. But a way to connect even though we couldn't all make it there!  

I've been super busy today and just acquired another sewing project for the night!  I've become the homecoming dress rescuer!  I took in my neighbor's dress (the dance is on Saturday) and a new friend tonight asked if I could repair a HORRIBLE hem job that a shop did on her daughter's dress!  So that's what's going on in my sewing room tonight.

I'm hoping to get to work on my stars (that I showed in the last post) and a quilt top that needs to be quilted.

I won't bore you with too much, but feel free to link up and show us what you are working on in your sewing room this weekend!  Since we're #notgoingtosewingsummit.  I'll have a link up in each post I put up this weekend and leave it open until Sunday night.  Feel free to link up any sew & tell finishes you might have too! Remember you can use the #notgoing.... on Twitter and Instagram.  If you don't have those then that's what this link up is for! Or you can do both!  Let's have some fun!!

Join the party!

sew & tell v4.4 ~ a nursery

Oh my.

Did you notice I didn't post sew & tell last week? Or earlier today?

I'm a mess!

I do have a good excuse for last week, we were out of town and I'm clearly not on top of everything enough to have written a post early and schedule it to magically appear Friday morning.

And yep, didn't do that again for this week.  The only difference is I wasn't out of town!! I'm just mourning the fact that my mom had to go home after a lovely 5 week visit!! And now my kitchen is a mess because she's not here to do the dishes for me.

So, you'll have to forgive me and I won't blame you if no one wants to link up this week.  But you'd better link up next week to distract me from the fact that I won't be at sewing summit!!!

And now to a short and sweet finish.

And by short and sweet, I mean once I buckled down and did it, it didn't take long at all.

I have three words for you:  ORANGE CHEVRON CURTAINS

photo courtesy Kristen Hassell

My super stylish (and talented) friend Kristen took some photos of babylouwho for me a few months ago. And by a few I mean 18. (You are going to want to click on that link. And if you want to cry you should check out the rest of her blog and look at all the military homecoming shoots!!)

We swapped services, she took photos and sewed some curtains.  Hmmmm, I think I might need to make her some more stuff.  In fairness I have hemmed 2 pairs of pants for her hubs too.  And I helped Brynn with that cute quilt there on the crib. I still think I got the better end of the deal!

Anyway, the nursery is all her and I'm so pleased the curtains turned out so well!

What have you finished recently?




Linky Rules.  Please follow along for a fun party!

1. Please write the post for sew & tell - or add a blurb mentioning sew & tell to a post written since the last sew & tell.  If you are linking to a post with your own tutorial, please make sure it was a finish from this week and that the completed project is shown first.

2. One linky per person. (please put multiple projects in one post.)

3. Link to your specific post.  (See here for permalink instructions - or email me.)

4. Link back here with a link or a button (HTML on my sidebar).

5. Be sure to visit and leave comments on other's posts!

Please put your (blog)name instead of your project name, it helps us get to know each other better!

sew & tell v4.3 ~ bee block extravaganza!

I guess you could say this is the month of the bee block at my house.  I was able to get my fabrics sent out this week and have finished 3 more blocks with one more to go so I can get caught up.  Can anyone say disorganized!  It's going to feel so good to be caught up!!

I loved making this sweet block for Amy (Diary of a Quilter).  She has the best color choices, always!  I love how bright and fun it is.  I wanted to make her 2 but I didn't stretch out her prints enough and only had enough for one block.  But I love it!

I like the spontaneity of log cabins, but if you don't really plan it out a little ahead of time you might end up tearing out a round like I ended up doing so more of the blue would show once it was finished!

I also finished up two blocks for Amy (Amy's Creative Side).  These Echino prints with the crossweave solid is so fun!  I've never actually worked with any Echino and now I want to find a bunch and buy it up!

Her quilt is going to be so fun! I can't wait to see all the blocks together.

My mom is here visiting and all of our plans to get a ton of stuff done hasn't really worked out like we thought.  We have managed to take care of the littleslouwho and keep the house picked up, so there's that! She did help me get my packets mailed out.  She had never done string blocks before so she offered to sew mine up for me!  She did a fantastic job of course.

#1

#2

She discovered that the 12" scrapbook paper that I sent out was actually too thick for paper piecing.  She did the second block with a 12.5" square of newsprint and that was much easier.  I'm so excited to put these together!

So I'm planning on finishing up the last of my bee blocks today and then maybe I'll have something new to show you next week!

What did you finish this week?



Linky Rules.  Please follow along for a fun party!

1. Please write the post for sew & tell - or add a blurb mentioning sew & tell to a post written since the last sew & tell.  If you are linking to a post with your own tutorial, please make sure it was a finish from this week and that the completed project is shown first.

2. One linky per person. (please put multiple projects in one post.)

3. Link to your specific post.  (See here for permalink instructions - or email me.)

4. Link back here with a link or a button (HTML on my sidebar).

5. Be sure to visit and leave comments on other's posts!

Please put your (blog)name instead of your project name, it helps us get to know each other better!

sew & tell v4.2 - a bee finish ~ of sorts

Hi!  This is going to be short and sweet because it's late going up because Blogger was having issues this morning, blah blah blah.

PS - Don't forget to check out my post for the Craft Book Blog Hop - and giveaway info!

Anyway,

It's my month for The Bees Knees Quilting Bee that I joined up this year!  (Such a fun group, I couldn't say no!)

It snuck up on me and I wasn't totally prepared.  But I found a bunch of strips I cut over 3 years ago for a wonky log cabin quilt along.

It's just a collection of strips cut from some fat quarters and fun fabrics that I had just because I liked them! I made one block and it didn't turn out like I envisioned so I tucked them away.

I think it needed some solids to break up the prints.

So anyway, I got them back out and divided them up into sets and cut some Kona snow strips. I'm going to have my friends make me some large string blocks! I think it's going to be great! I also added some darker prints for contrast. We'll see how it goes!

So here's my finish - packages ready to mail! (I'm totally stretching for a real finish this week!)

Can't wait to see some of your finishes!



Linky Rules.  Please follow along for a fun party!

1. Please write the post for sew & tell - or add a blurb mentioning sew & tell to a post written since the last sew & tell.  If you are linking to a post with your own tutorial, please make sure it was a finish from this week and that the completed project is shown first.

2. One linky per person. (please put multiple projects in one post.)

3. Link to your specific post.  (See here for permalink instructions - or email me.)

4. Link back here with a link or a button (HTML on my sidebar).

5. Be sure to visit and leave comments on other's posts!

Please put your (blog)name instead of your project name, it helps us get to know each other better!

sew & tell v4.1 - bee block catch up

Hello People!!! Welcome back to the start of the 4th year (version 4) of sew & tell!  WOW.  Crazy to think we started this little share-fest that long ago! The start of the school year seems like a good time to bring us back together after a summer break.  Plus Rebecca kindly reminded me that it's time!  She's got a fun quilt to share!

I'm not going to lie, it was kind of nice taking a break from blogging for the summer.  Sometimes I think I'm over it altogether. But then I remember it's fun to take some time and some real (non Instagram) pictures of what I've been doing and document it!  Plus my mom is here for a month, YES! and I'm hoping to get some more things finished while she's here for sew-fest 2012.

As I often do, I over estimated my available time and energy to be in another bee. So last month I was able to finally get caught up on some bee blocks. I finished up these wonky stars for the last month of my Bee Tweet Bee for Frecklemama:

I love a good wonky star and I'm working on another little star quilt that hopefully I'll be able to show you soon.

Then I was asked by the lovely Amy of A Diary of a Quilter if I wanted to join a bee with some of my best blogging friends - a lot of whom I met through Sew & Tell!!  So of course I couldn't say no! And then I couldn't keep up.  So I played some catch up a few weeks ago.  The bee is called the Bee's Knees.

A Greek Cross for Sherri of A Quilting Life:

And an improv block for E. of Pinksuedeshoe:

I've still got a couple months to catch up and it's my month to send out fabric! Yikes! Got to get on that.

Can't wait to see some of your finishes!


Linky Rules.  Please follow along for a fun party!

1. Please write the post for sew & tell - or add a blurb mentioning sew & tell to a post written since the last sew & tell.  If you are linking to a post with your own tutorial, please make sure it was a finish from this week and that the completed project is shown first.

2. One linky per person. (please put multiple projects in one post.)

3. Link to your specific post.  (See here for permalink instructions - or email me.)

4. Link back here with a link or a button (HTML on my sidebar).

5. Be sure to visit and leave comments on other's posts!

Please put your (blog)name instead of your project name, it helps us get to know each other better!

sew & tell: July summer edition

Hi friends!

I hope you all are enjoying your summer and being more productive than I am! I'm actually enjoying the break from feeling like I have to post something every week. It's been difficult to get a lot of sewing finished.  We've been trying to enjoy living on vacation and taking advantage of what will most likely be our last summer living so close to the beach.  *sigh*

So a couple of weeks ago, I had to go to Hancock's to find the new Heather Ross Crafty Chloe fabrics.  They are so cute! (I may or may not have gone back to buy more yardage later).  Because I had all of my kids in tow, I figured I'd placate them by letting them pick out some fabric for me to make them each some zippy pouches.

The nice lady at the cutting counter talked me into making pajama pants for all of them too.  So my $1.50 purchase turned into 3 more yards!  It's okay, because when my kids know I'm going to make something for them it usually gets finished pretty quickly.  Otherwise I might actually get pestered to death! ;0)

So that night and the next morning I whipped up three little zippy pouches.  I use the tutorial at Skip To My Lou. They are actually pretty cute!  Brotherlouwho carries his lego guys in his, Sisterlouwho keeps colored pencils and other supplies in hers, and Babylouwho keeps her "friends" (FP Little People) close at hand with hers.

I was itching to makes some PJ pants, but couldn't find the pattern I had planned on using.  So I went back to the store and bought one.  It's actually a girl's pattern, but it had pants and frankly, elastic waisted PJ pants pretty much work for both.  Plus I like the idea of making some darling flannel nightgowns (Anna Maria Horner Good Folks flannel anyone?)

I will say, this pattern is awesome for little ones because there is only one pattern piece per leg - so you don't have a side seam. They were a little baggy, so I took and inch or so out of the width of sisterlouwho's after I made the first pair.

So here's what we got:

brotherlouwho took this picture!

so happy!

we all love Hello Kitty!  I think they need some ric rac around the hem.

The sisterslouwho look pretty cute playing around in their matching bottoms!

So have you been able to sew this summer?  I'd love to see it!  Kim from My Go-Go Life came down to visit this weekend.  Maybe I'll some sewing to show for it.  Until then I think we'll go to the beach!





Linky Rules.  Please follow along for a fun party!

1. Please write the post for sew & tell - or add a blurb mentioning sew & tell to a post written since the last sew & tell.  If you are linking to a post with your own tutorial, please make sure it was a finish from this week and that the completed project is shown first.

2. One linky per person. (please put multiple projects in one post.)

3. Link to your specific post.  (See here for permalink instructions - or email me.)

4. Link back here with a link or a button (HTML on my sidebar).

5. Be sure to visit and leave comments on other's posts!

Please put your (blog)name instead of your project name, it helps us get to know each other better!

sew & tell v3.37 - leedle deedle's here!

Hi everyone!  Summer is in full swing over here and I haven't sewn anything since I got back from vacation.  I've been too busy working on some other non-sewing projects.  My driveway is currently full of primed furniture.


I want to encourage any of you who are on instagram or twitter to share pictures or your blog link there and label it #sewntell!  You can do this any time, it doesn't have to be on Friday! I think we can share this way for the summer months and I'll just do a link up once a month.  The last Friday in July and August.  Then we can start back up with our weekly link ups after Labor Day when school is in and everyone's routines become a bit more normal.  You can also post pictures on my facebook wall!


I had spaced sew & tell for today until Leigh of Leedle Deedle Quilts emailed me late last night asking if I needed something today for sew & tell!! She's a great friend for thinking ahead for me.  And i just love this quilt she made!

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Wahoo! I'm so excited that I finished something, I'm over here sharing it with you for Sew and Tell!

This rainbow chevron quilt has been in my head for a few years now. I finally finished it last weekend! I was originally inspired by this mugrug. As soon as I saw it, I had this idea for a quilt. (My original post on the quilt top is here.)

Here is the back. I got the idea from this quilt by Crazy Mom Quilts. I love it!

The full post for this quilt is over on my blog, if you'd like to see it. I also have a tutorial for a twin sized version of this quilt.

Thanks Amy, for having me :)
*****
Leigh, thanks so much!  You were a lifesaver today!




What did you finish this week?
Linky Rules.  Please follow along for a fun party!

1. Please write the post for sew & tell - or add a blurb mentioning sew & tell to a post written since the last sew & tell.  If you are linking to a post with your own tutorial, please make sure it was a finish from this week and that the completed project is shown first.

2. One linky per person. (please put multiple projects in one post.)

3. Link to your specific post.  (See here for permalink instructions - or email me.)

4. Link back here with a link or a button (HTML on my sidebar).

5. Be sure to visit and leave comments on other's posts!

Please put your (blog)name instead of your project name, it helps us get to know each other better!

sew & tell v3.36 - a guest quilt

Hey! Sorry I'm so late this morning afternoon. I've been taking care of some car issues and now am sitting at Miss Kim's computer and she won't stop talking to me, so this is taking FOREVER!!! :)  We're having a good time though, and that's all that matters.

So because I took a little sewing break this week I asked on my facebook page if anyone had anything they wanted to share and Wendy of Late to Create chimed in with a darling quilt!  Here's a sneak peek:

Go see the rest of her post HERE and see some more of the process and her finished quilt.  It's lovely!! Thanks for sharing Wendy!

I thought it would be fun too, if you don't have time during the summer to blog, you can post a picture of your finish right ON my Facebook page, on Instagram or Twitter (#sewntell) and then we can get the party started! woop woop!





What did you finish this week?
Linky Rules.  Please follow along for a fun party! 

1. Please write the post for sew & tell - or add a blurb mentioning sew & tell to a post written since the last sew & tell.  If you are linking to a post with your own tutorial, please make sure it was a finish from this week and that the completed project is shown first.

2. One linky per person. (please put multiple projects in one post.)

3. Link to your specific post.  (See here for permalink instructions - or email me.)

4. Link back here with a link or a button (HTML on my sidebar).

5. Be sure to visit and leave comments on other's posts!

Please put your (blog)name instead of your project name, it helps us get to know each other better!

sew & tell v3.35 - teacher's gifts and a hashtag

Hello friends! Welcome to another week of sew & tell!

I was thinking it would be fun to start a hashtag for sew & tell to follow on Instagram and Twitter.  So if you don't have time to link up here or right a whole blog post, share a picture there and tag it #sewntell !! I think it will be fun!!

I'm going to be quick this week.  I've been sick all week with a horrible cold and have a lot to do today.  I'm hoping to kick this cold in the butt by the end of the day!! We'll see...

So I had to do some (last minute of course) teachers gifts for the last day of school this week.  I whipped up a  little tote bag (which I now covet)

And some lunch box placemats!

I think they all turned out pretty cute!!


What did you finish this week?
Linky Rules.  Please follow along for a fun party!

1. Please write the post for sew & tell - or add a blurb mentioning sew & tell to a post written since the last sew & tell.  If you are linking to a post with your own tutorial, please make sure it was a finish from this week and that the completed project is shown first.

2. One linky per person. (please put multiple projects in one post.)

3. Link to your specific post.  (See here for permalink instructions - or email me.)

4. Link back here with a link or a button (HTML on my sidebar).

5. Be sure to visit and leave comments on other's posts!

Please put your (blog)name instead of your project name, it helps us get to know each other better!

sew & tell v3.34 - new york beauty swap

I am so excited to share this finish with you today!  This is probably one of the hardest projects I've done and I'm so thrilled with how it turned out!

When we were doing the New York Beauty quilt along a little swap got put together and I couldn't say no.  So my partner wanted a pillow and I used the first block I did for my tutorial as a jumping off point.  As I played with my fabrics I decided to go with my favorite color scheme (and favorite designer).

The binding and backing fabric were actually some I had in my stash that I had just bought for fun.  And they worked so perfectly (both from Amy Butler's Lark collection).

You may be seeing a skirt made out of this fabric very soon!  I just love it!

And I like the suprise pop of pinks and oranges on the back with the blues and greens.

I didn't want to take away from the design with too much quilting, so I just did a straight line (without a walking foot) around the major seams.  I love the way it turned out.

I really hope my partner loves it as much as I do.  And now I need to make one for myself!

What did you finish this week?
Linky Rules.  Please follow along for a fun party!

1. Please write the post for sew & tell - or add a blurb mentioning sew & tell to a post written since the last sew & tell.  If you are linking to a post with your own tutorial, please make sure it was a finish from this week and that the completed project is shown first.

2. One linky per person. (please put multiple projects in one post.)

3. Link to your specific post.  (See here for permalink instructions - or email me.)

4. Link back here with a link or a button (HTML on my sidebar).

5. Be sure to visit and leave comments on other's posts!

Please put your (blog)name instead of your project name, it helps us get to know each other better!